Predators/Canucks Trade

[whiteghost]

Nashville trades:
LW Jamie Benn, $7.8m (2021-2022) [$4m of salary paid each year for Benn]
RW Kyle Palmieri, $2m (2019-2020) [Paid for 2019-2020]
C Sam Steel, $0.5m (P-n/a)

To Vancouver
for

C Akil Thomas, $m (P-n/a)
D Noah Dobson, $m (P-n/a)
C/LW Alex Galchenyuk, $3.9m (2021-2022)
LW/RW Danton Heinen, $0.5m (P-19/20) -Rob edit

Preds approve!

[dedreger]

I'd like to hear an explanation of the rationale for this trade for Nashville.  I see it as badly lopsided in Vancouver's favor -- they're getting both cheap, productive veterans and the best prospect in the deal.

[WestCoastExpress]

Nashville trades:
LW Jamie Benn, $7.8m (2021-2022) [$4m of salary paid each year for Benn]
RW Kyle Palmieri, $2m (2019-2020) [Paid for 2019-2020]
C Sam Steel, $0.5m (P-n/a)

To Vancouver
for

C Akil Thomas, $m (P-n/a)
D Noah Dobson, $m (P-n/a)
C/LW Alex Galchenyuk, $3.9m (2021-2022)

Canucks confirm the trade.

Shortly after saying I don't do rentals, here we are. Palmeiri is pretty well un-re-signable to me (based on last year's fanpts) so he's a rental. He slots in as my #4 RW in case of injury down the stretch.

I'm taking a gamble on Benn, but he seems to be wearing down and regressing - just scored his 12th goal of the season the other night. Seems to be on the downslide the last couple of years and isn't getting any younger and plays a tough game so who knows how his body is holding up. He's a far cry from an 80-point guy and 4+ fanpts/game in our league and is getting the least amount of minutes per game in his career since his rookie season. That said, at $4m a year we'll take a shot at him and and worst he should hover around 2-2.5 fanpts/game. Overpaid for the price but he's also a hometown kid for us so we like the Benn brothers. Jordie is useless in fantasy though
Also taking a shot on Steel who's shown nothing so far in his 2 years in the NHL, but we're a big fan of him from his junior days in Regina. Downside is he's not eligible for the minors so he's essentially a waste of roster spot this year. Kind of hoping he gets injured so he can go on IR.

Giving up a stud prospect D-man in Dobson, who with the added blocked shots category should be a solid fantasy D-man for the next 10 years or so. Similar or better to Alex Pietrangelo, depending on when he gets put on the PowerPlay. Ranked #5 overall in the latest rankings which included Makar and Q.Hughes at 1 and 2 who shouldn't really be considered prospects anymore. Most likely slots into a top-4 role next season after getting his feet wet in his rookie season here.
Thomas is an offensive dynamo who probably moves to wing (already did in Junior a bit) and piles up points on the next group of these young LA Kings. Lighting up the OHL so probably in the AHL next year and big show in 2 seasons due to that aging Kings lineup.

Thanks for the deal, Rob

[SlackJack]

Sam Steel!!!

[Rob]

Oof - might be selling Steel short there.  2 years = 60ish games...

[whiteghost]

I don’t really see this as one sided, obviously.  Benn for Gal is not super far off, Palmieri is a rental and Steel is an unproven and disappointing rookie.  I am getting back a top D prospect and a young C. 
If folks want to veto it, so be it.  Just make it quick so we can move on ... thanks!

[SlackJack]

 

[GypsieDeathBringer]

I don't normally chime in, but since it is one of the top two teams making a deal I think a community interest is had.  It isn't egregious, but paying on Benn for the rest of the contract I think pushes it over.

Galchenyuk is a player you would not even sign if he were a FA.  That and the combined $4m a year on Benn gives the Canucks Benn for free.  If his slowing down is 2.6 pts/g that is pretty great value for free.  Benn's worst year is basically Galchenyuk's best. 

Steel for Thomas is a wash.  Thomas is a over-aged OHL player and Steel an under-aged NHLer.

To me it is Benn for free + Palmieri for Dobson who is unproven.  I'd like to think a known productive starting winger on rental by themselves is worth a good prospect in Dobson.  That is my opinion. 
 

[Rob]

Palmieri also can be traded in the off-season. Even with a high price tag, a consistent 3ppg winger that's under 30 getting dropped to FA seems unlikely to me, even with the incoming inflation on extensions. Hell, I would trade for him... Then re-package him with half his contract paid 😁.

Benn is now 30 and could be slowing, and that contract is enormous. If Vancouver were taking on the entirety of that contract and then giving up a bit more, like a 2nd rounder or similar, I think this would be passable.

I'm going to veto. Sorry guys.

[SlackJack]

I don’t really see this as one sided, obviously.  Benn for Gal is not super far off, Palmieri is a rental and Steel is an unproven and disappointing rookie.  I am getting back a top D prospect and a young C. 
If folks want to veto it, so be it.  Just make it quick so we can move on ... thanks!

We may all agree that the trade seems a bit lopsided in Vancouver's favour but almost all trades are unballanced in some way. Given hindsight there is usually a 'winner' and 'loser' to all the deals we make. My question is not do you think the trade is fair but rather is it damaging?

If I made a trade that I defended I would want it to go through win or lose. In this case Nashville is obviously engaged in team building (Dobson is recognized as an elite defensive prospect) so it's hard to see the deal as damaging to the franchise. Vancouver may 'win' the deal but that should be allowed as Nashville's defence of the trade is sincere and that is good enough for me.